The competition for charitable money is fierce and the need for profitable ideas strong. Everyone from sport teams to churches are in search of extra financing.

Foodcrafting is one way to achieve this goal. Food crafting for funds is the ability of generous volunteers to produce easy-to-make, creative, irresistible goods to sell at a price that will give their group the ways and means to obtain money for a worthy purpose. Easy is simple! Creativity, volunteer time, and cost have always been the main obstacles for any fund-raising project. There is a marvelous solution to all these problems. You can put the FUN back in fund-raising and successfully compete for limited charitable money.

Sandra Boynton, with tongue in cheek, wrote that "Research tells us that fourteen out of any ten individuals like chocolate!" This must be true, because every prosperous fund-raiser I've ever been involved with included chocolate.

Here then, are a few of my favorite, almost effortless and highly successful chocolate foodcrafting projects. All of the supplies listed can be economically purchased through Kitchen Krafts, except for the apples and pretzels. Remember, the appeal and demand for your product is only one important aspect of your project. Savings, also, is of the utmost importance and Kitchen Krafts will save your group a bundle!

CONSUMMATE CARAMEL APPLES

Every October, we run a gourmet caramel apple sale and realize colossal profits! The key is to find apple donations. Most grocery stores are willing to generously donate apples. Farmers often will, too. For years, we over- paid for the caramel and unwrapped what felt like thousands of candies from their little cellophane wrappers! UGH! What a waste of precious money and time! Nestle caramel in one and five pound loaves solves that problem. Just unwrap one huge loaf at a time, melt, and dip your apples! Then, roll them in coconut crunch, tiny crisp rice, peanut butter coating, or malted milk crunch . Finish them by drizzling Mercken's delicious chocolate. Mercken's is an excellent domestic processor of Milk, Semi-sweet, or White chocolate.

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS

There are very few things in life that satisfy the taste buds more than pretzels smothered in smooth, heavenly, luscious milk chocolate. It is simply impossible to eat just one pretzel that has been drenched in such a rich and creamy concoction! Pretzels can be purchased in large quantities for very little cash. Mercken's incredible milk chocolate melts nicely and the two pound size will save you a bundle! You can turn out hundreds with only a few volunteers and a few packages of chocolate. This is a sure fire winner!

A ROSE FOR MY LOVE

This fund-raising idea continues to be both profitable and romantic! You initially need to purchase several 3-D rose molds. Once you have them, you can use them again and again! You will also need extra long sucker sticks and 3-D Rose Window Boxes. Melt Mercken's White Chocolate and mix half with red liquid gel color and the other half with green. Pour into molds to create beautiful roses with leaves on sucker sticks. Attach notes done in calligraphy to the sticks and then place the scrumptious flower in the 3-D Window Box. Personalize the box with names of the giver and receiver. Voila! Parents and children alike love this unique idea and it continues to be a huge money maker!

These ideas are just a tiny sampling of the numerous foodcrafting methods you can use to raise money for a worthy goal. The folks at Kitchen Kraft are experts at guiding the creative cook in all of us.

Follow my advise and start to put the FUN back in your fund raising projects today.